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Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering

Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering - Poster Session D

Poster I11 - SUN-KASH Proteins – An Analysis of How They Bind

Friday, October 25, 2024

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EST

Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

Presenting Author(s)

JE

Jadel Amaria Estiverne

Undergraduate Researcher
Inclusion and Innovation in Medical Devices at University of Massachusetts Lowell
New Hampton, New York, United States

Co-Author(s)

Yanfen Li, PhD (she/her/hers)

Assistant Professor
University of Massachusetts Lowell
Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
MH

Marla Hilderbrand-Chae, MA (she/her/hers)

Graduate Student
University of Massachusetts Lowell, United States

Introduction: Mechanobiology is the study of the sensory aspect of cellular actions in response to receiving mechanical signals. This field of biology mainly studies the extracellular matrix or ECM which is a complex system of macromolecules that are directly involved in cellular adherence, cell-to-cell communication, as well as overall regulation of homeostasis within the cell. The LINC (Linker of Nucleoskeleton and Cytoskeleton) complex within the nuclear envelope is made up of SUN (Sad1 and UNC84) and KASH (Klarsicht-ANC-Syne homologyand) protein domains and their bonds are what will be observed.

Materials and

Methods: Through the use of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), polyacrylamide hydrogels (PAA hydrogels) to induce mechanobiology within the stem cells, followed by coimmunoprecipitation and western blotting, conclusions about the relationship between SUN2 and KASH2 can be identified. The coIP would be used to isolate the target proteins of interest so they can be organized by their molecular weight to detect protein presence through immunoblotting and chemiluminescence.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: The results that are to be expected from the application of the previously listed methods and materials whether or not the proteins exist separate with only their molecular weights being shown, exist as bonded through their combined weight, or exist as bonded with SUN2 trimerized indicated by their combined weight in addition to a tripled value in SUN2’s weight. It can be concluded that the protocol followed in this study is an effective way to observe SUN-KASH interactions as well as displaying what specific ECM stiffness induce these bond formations and SUN2 trimerizations.

Acknowledgements (Optional):